Torero

De lunes a domingo voy desesperado,
El corazón prendido en el calendario,
Buscándote y buscando como un mercenario,
Tu dime donde estás que yo no te he encontrado.

"Antonio!" A voice interrupted the lovely stumming of a guitar on a lazy August afternoon. Antonio, who had been called, turned his head to meet beautiful brown eyes , making his heart leap in his chest. There was only one known female who had the power to make him feel like a silly school girl with a crush. Maria Ramirez, the human personification of the Latino country Mexico. Antonio represented the country of passion, Spain. A big grin formed on his face as he stood up rapidly to greet his crush.

"Hola, Mari~! What brings you here?" He greeted her and shook her hand. Their painful past had been put aside which was good because it would be awkward if your ex-wife was visiting you. Maria smiled back shyly and kissed his cheeks in greeting. Toni wasn't sure if he picked that up from Lovino or what. Not that he was complaining! He loved it whenever she kissed his cheek. He loved her kisses when they were married even though they were fake and filled with lies.

"Oh, I was visiting Francis for a bit. We had some trade deals we had to fix and stuff." She grinned and made gestures as she spoke. Toni loved that little habit of hers. He loved those small and slender hands that cooked, clean, tended gardens, that used to hold his hand even though the owner of that hand wanted to snatch her hand away.

"I see... and you decided to visit me!" Toni's face light up when he said this. He was glad that she really did keep a grudge against him. Maria nodded and looked around. In her eyes, the garden hadn't changed since the last time she tended it which was... pffft... decades ago. Toni was consumed with happiness and hugged the Mexican woman. She was surprised but hugged back. You still tremble... Toni thought and pouted a bit at this. He hated himself for causing pain towards the woman he loved the most. Life wasn't fair. if her brother had let Toni marry Maria, none of this would have happened.

Tus manecillas giran yo voy al contrario
Comiendome la vida a sorbos y a tragos
Me viste así de frente que tremendo impacto
Para unirme a tu mirada dime si hay que ser...

"Toni, you can let go now..." Maria giggled a bit but she still trembled quietly under his hold. Toni let go of her and chuckled sheepishly.

"Lo siento... I got carried away..." He said and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. He eyed her outfit and almost drooled. She looked like a tourist with short jeans that hugged her hips nicely and a light green blouse that rode up a bit because of her.. um... Chest. Anyway! He blushed slightly and thanked God because of the heat, the blush wouldn't be that noticable. Maria smiled at him causing his heart to pound harder in his chest. He felt like his heart was going to rip itself from his chest and run into her arms because right now, that's where Toni wanted to be. "Well since you're here... how about we stroll along the streets of Madrid?" He offered his hand to her, hoping she would take it. Just as if God had heard his wish, Maria took his hand in hers but still shook.

"That would be nice..." She commented making Toni's heart race. He had regain her trust. He didn't want to be the one causing her to shake as if all the volcanoes in her country were erupting at the same time. He wanted her to run into his arms and kiss him like there was no tomorrow. He wanted her love badly. He smiled at her and began to lead her into the city, leaving his guitar unattended.

"Ah, this city has changed so much since your last visit!" Toni exclaimed but inside he felt hurt. She hadn't visited until the King of Spain, himself, granted her people and her independence. Toni's smile faltered as he remembered how happy she was the moment he signed the document that annulled their marriage and ties to each other.

"Toni, estas bien? Are you okay?" She asked with worry sewn in her voice. Toi snapped out of his thoughts and smiled at her. He nodded.

"Don't worry about it, mi flor!" His emerald eyes widen when he said this. He had not called her "his flower" in decades. He blushed and looked around to see if he could change the subject. His palms started getting sweaty making him pull his hand from hers. He mentally slapped himself because he knew she was going to say something about it. He quickly wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to his body. She gasped but made no comment.

Torero, poner el alma en el ruedo
No importa lo que se venga
Pa'que sepas que te quiero
Como un buen torero
Me juego la vida por tí...

Toni took her to the new stores in the city, sometimes stopping to buy something for her like a jeweled hair pin that looked like a tropical flower. When Maria saw it she immediatly fell in love with it. She didn't say anything to Antonio about it but he could see it in her eyes that she wanted that hair pin. He ran into the store, plucked the pin from its stand, payed for it, and ran back outside to where Maria was standing in pure shock. He placed the pin in her hair and admired how she blushed and stammered her thanks.

"H-how can I repay you back for this? I m-mean this is so beautiful! I love it so much!" She gushed as she admired her reflection in the store window. Toni grinned. There was a lot of ways she could pay him back but he knew one that wouldn't be too hard to complete.

"Baila conmigo. Dance with me..." He whispered in her ear. His sultry voice licked around Maria's ears making her blush. She turned to look at him and saw him smiling gently at her. Her heart began to beat rapidly as she smiled back and nodded. Toni's heart seemed to dance on its own when she smiled at him. He took her hand and led her to a bunch of flamenco dancers. He asked them for an extra dress and gave it to Maria. She went into a local restuarant. went to the bathroom, and changed in there. When she came back out, Toni's mouth flew open. The dress was black with splatters of red and sprinkles of gold. The top part fit her well as if flowed out like a flower blooming for the first time. She was her flower.

"D-do I look good?" She asked softly as she walked towards him. Toni managed to whisper a yes and took her in his arms. She spinned easily since her own folkloric dances was composed of spins and twirls. And not to mention poofy dresses.

Si hay que ser, torero
Poner el alma en el ruedo
No importa lo que se venga
Pa'que sepas que te quiero
Como un buen torero
Me juego la vida por tí...

"Did you know..." Toni began as he danced with his lovely partner. "That a bullfighter is very good at dancing?" he asked. Maria gave him a look but continued smiling and dancing.

"No, I did not... Why is that?" She asked coyly. Toni smiled and spinned her around making the bottom of the dress hit his legs. He dipped her and grabbed her leg, pulling it up to his waist. Maria gasped and bended her raised leg in case her skirt moved up showing her panties.

"They spin and twirl with the bull." Toni explained and pulled her back to her feet. Ah, there is the normal me again... Toni thought to himself as he continued this dancing. He loved the closeness of their bodies. (Damn, that made him sound like a pervert.) He loved it all. The music, the laughter, the dancing. It was just... amazing to him. Especially Maria. He loved the way she looked in the dress. She looked like a real flower. They had to end their dance thugh becaue both of them had gotten breathless and because Maria wanted to see more of the city.

Y te cuentan que ya me vieron en solitario en un callejón
Que ya no duermo y desvarío que el humor ya me cambió
Y tu por donde estas que mi presión ya no me va
Te buscaré, vuelve conmigo.

"So... Toni... what have you been doing ever since.. you know... I left?" Maria asked as they walked, hand in hand, on the streets. Toni tensed up but smiled to cover up his hurt. He shrugged.

"I attempted to move on, sabes? I had better things to do then mope around because the best thing of my life had left me." Toni's eyes widen as he realized what had slipped from his mouth. Maria blushed a dark red and looked away.

"I see.." She said, her voice barely a whisper. Toni wanted to smack himself for letting something like that out. Now things were getting awkward again!

Y que tu no sabes
Que yo te necesito como el perro al amo
Que si tu no respondes aqui todo es caos
Me viste así de frente que tremendo impacto
Para unirme a tu mirada
Dime si hay que ser...

Toni took her a bullfighting match and gave her a ticket to one of the best and safest seats in the stadium.

"Espera!" Maria called out as Toni was leaving. He turned around and hoped for at least a kiss or something. She ran towards him. "Aren't you gonna sit with me?" She asked. Close enough. She wanted him with her. Toni smiled and pecked her cheek.

"Don't worry... I have a surprise for you. Go to your seat. I'll meet you there." He lied. He had a really big surprise for her and hope she would like it. Maria sighed and nodded. She ran off to go to her seat while Toni left for the rooms in where the bullfighters prepared.

Torero, poner el alma en el ruedo
No importa lo que se venga
Pa'que sepas que te quiero
Como un buen torero
Me juego la vida por tí...

Where is he?! He promised he would be here! Maria panicked as she searched the crowds for the Spanish man. The people settled in their seats amd the announcer came out.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! I bring you the great torero of them all! The quickest, the swiftest, and...! For the ladies, the most handsomest!" A loud squeal erupted from all the young girls as they fangirled over who the matador was. Maria rolled her eyes and searched for Toni. You better not have forgotten about me... She growled in her mind.

"Antonio Fernadez Carriedo!"

Oh hell no... Maria thought as she saw Toni submerge from the shadows into the sunlight where the crowds cheered and applauded. Maria shot him a glare for leaving her alone. He should have know that she hated being left alone in a crowded area. Toni smiled and winked at her causing her to blush and act... How did Japan put it? Tsundere. Then a loud cheer erupted again from the crowd as they heard a loud groan. Maria turned her attention to the bull that had been pushed into the arena. She watched it begin to charge at Toni, who had been waiting for it.

Si hay que ser torero
Poner el alma en el ruedo
No importa lo que se venga
Pa'que sepas que te quiero
Como un buen torero
Me juego la vida por tí...

Toni smirked at the bull and raised his red flag. He wait for the bull to charge and lifted it when it brushed past. The crowd screamed "Ole" as Toni continued this. Maria watched with a smile but said nothing. Her brown eyes followed his every move. Was this the surprise?

En noviembre hasta enero si que te necesito
Ay! De junio a febrero quiero que estés conmigo
Y en marzo el amor en diciembre tu y yo
No importa mi amada si hay, si hay que ser...

Toni continued to mess with the bull but his thoughts landed on Maria. With the blood flowing freely through his veins, he thought about his need of being with Maria. His feelings were so strong it gave him courage to kill a bull for her. He would do anything for her. That's why he let her go.

"ANTONIO! LOOK OUT!"

Toni heard Maria's voice on top of all the others and snapped out of his thoughts to see the bull that was charging straight at him. He rolled out the way just in time to avoid being trampled on. Cheers erupted from the crowd. Including his precious flower. She was cheering him on. He became more eager to end this bull's life. Just for her.

Torero, poner el alma en el ruedo
No importa lo que se venga
Pa'que sepas que te quiero
Como un buen torero
Me juego la vida por tí...

He was handed a spear that would kill the bull if it would to pierce it. Toni positioned himself and threw the spear, hitting the bull right in forehead. It continued running but eventually fell to ground, dead.

The crowd screamed in joy and threw roses at Toni. He laughed as the flowers hit him but right now... there was only one flower he wanted to see. He saw Maria hop dow from the stadium railing and ran towards him. He opened his arms out and braced himself for the coliding body.

Instead he got a smack across the cheek.

"OW!" He exclaimed. Maria glared at him but did something that surprised him. She grabbed his face and pulled him towards her making their lips collide in a passionate kiss. His eyelids began to droop down as he wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her closer to his. His heart felt like it had burst like fireworks in the sky. Right now, sparks where flying everywhere. He savored the taste of churros on her lips and smiled in the kiss. She pulled back and blushed furiously. To Toni, she looked like the roses that were being flung at him. He laughed and held her close to him, afraid that if he let go, she would leave again. Maria buried her face in his chest and smiled. He smelled like tomatoes and churros.

"You gave me a heart attack, you idiot!" She exclaimed as she giggled.

Si hay que ser torero
Poner el alma en el ruedo
No importa lo que se venga
Pa'que sepas que te quiero
Como un buen torero
Me juego la vida por tí...

Toni chuckled. "Oh really~?" He sounded amused at her tone of voice. She looked up at him and tried to glare at him but who could with a smile like his? It was contagious. She supressed a smiled and nodded.

"You made me fucking worry about you!" She said and pulled away from him. She punched his arm but then pressed her lips against his again. "Don't ever fucking do that again." She whispered and looked into his emerald green eyes. He smiled and spun her his arms.

Si hay que ser torero
Poner el alma en el ruedo
No importa lo que se venga
Pa'que sepas que te quiero
Como un buen torero
Me juego la vida por tí...

"I won't! Just promise to love me..." He said to her with a serious tone in his voice as he peered into her chocolate brown eyes. "And this time... for real." He finished. She nodded and kissed him again. Toni felt his passionate side flare up as he made the kiss deeper. Never had he shared a kiss like this with any woman before. Not one with so much power. Maria pulled back and played with one of his brown locks. She smiled gently at him.

"Lo siento for causing you pain..." She whispered. Toni shook his head.

"No, I should be sorry... I gave you this..." Toni traced a scar on Maria's back through her shirt. Maria tensed up for it still stinged whenever it was touched. Toni lifted up Maria's arm and kissed every scar on it. It pained him so much to see these things on his flower's body.

Si hay que ser torero
Poner el alma en el ruedo
No importa lo que se venga
Pa'que sepas que te quiero
Como un buen torero
Me juego la vida por tí...

"At least now... you'll be mi torero." Maria said softly, ignoring the catcalls from the crowd. Toni nodded and smiled.

"Because I will give up my life for you."